Bus bar conduit system



June 6, 1939. F. HARVEY BUS BAR CONDUIT SYSTEM 3, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Oct.

INVENTOR FR NK HARVEY,

v NEY June 6, 1939 F. HARVEY BUS BAR CCNDUIT SYSTEM 3, 1936 4Sheets-Sheet 15 Filed Oct.

June 6, 1939. F. HARVEY 2,161,571

BUS BAR CONDUIT SYSTEM Filed Oct. 3, 1936 4 SheetsSheet 4 5 20 A s i- 51INVENTOR- BY 38 3a 37 so Patented June 6,1939

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,101,571 nus BAR CONDUIT sys'rm I FrankHarvey, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The Trumbull ElectricManufacturing Company, Plainville, Conn., a corporation of ConnecticutApplication ctober 3, 1936, Serial No. 103,815 8 Claims. (Cl. 200-114)My invention relates to an electrical distribution system and aconnection unit for taking off power for branch circuits. In the mainsystem, bus bars are used to carry the current and these bars aremounted within a housing or conduit. The main part of the presentinvention relates to a branch take-off unit and its connection to thebus bar conduit.

. One object of the invention is to make an extremely simplifiedtake-off unit for the system.

Another object is to provide fuses in the unit so positioned and guardedthat it is impossible to re-fuse the unit without flrst electricallydisconnecting the take-of! unit from the bus bars.

Still another object is to strengthen the construction of units for theabove purpose and insure the proper positioning of the parts in respectto the bus bar conduit.

Another object is to generally increase the safety factor in devices ofthis type, making it almost impossible for anyone to receive an electricshock through mismanagement or misuse of the device.

It is also intended to so fashion the device that as undue mechanicalstrain on the take-off unit will cause the same to become electricallydisengaged, although in the ordinary use of the unit the electricalconnection will be under control of a worker or operator.

l0 These and other objects and advantages are obtained by constructingthe conduit for the bus bars with a pair of flanges extending at rightangles from one side (usually the bottom) thereof. The bus bars arearranged side by side in as the conduit in three planes substantiallyparallel to the planes of the flanges. Between the flanges of theconduit, the take-off unit is hinged, held in place by removable meanswhich also act as the pivot for a cover for the unit. This cover has asnap engagement with the unit and conceals the fuses which are inside ofthe unit, The snap-engagement means may also act as a positioning meansfor the unit, insuring that the unit be properly aligned with theconduit flanges. The cover of the unit also carries means to insure thatit be closed when the unit is swunE into position on the conduit. Ofcourse, as is usual in devices of this general character, the unitcarries contact blades for engagement with the bus bars, the contactsbeing electrically connected to one end of the fuses in the unit. Theother ends of the fuses are of course connected electrically toterminals for the taking off of branch connections. The unit alsocarries means for supporting a branch conduit. when the unit is swungtoward the bus bar conduit the contacts engage the bus bars and powermay be taken off at the branch conduit- Fig. 1 is a perspective viewof aconnector forming a part of an installation involving my invention.

Fig. 1a is a. side view showing a modification.

Fig. 2 is a side view and partial section showing the connector unitassociated with the housing or conduit for the bus bars, the connectorbeing shown in the open circuit position with the cover of the fusechamber partially opened.

Fig. 3 is a view showing the inside of the connector with the coveropen.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the bus bar conduit with theconnector in the closed circuit or ON position.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the plane of the line 5-5 ofFig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a side view of a fragment of a bus bar conduit with a modifiedform of connector shown in the closed circuit position.

Fig. '7 is a side view and section of the form of Fig. 6 but with theconnector in the open circuit position.

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view of the same form on the plane of theline 8-8 of Fig. 6 but showing the connector in the closed circuitposition.

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view of the bus bar conduit and shows theconnector of Figs. 6, 7, and 8 in an open circuit position and with thedoor to the fuse compartment open.

Fig. 10 is a view of the form shown in Fig. 6 taken looking upwardlywith respect to Fig. 6.

The bus bars I are supported in any suitable manner in the housing orconduit which in the form shown consists of a U-shaped body portion Iiand a cover 0. These two parts of the conduit are connected together byoverlapping flanges HI and H which are secured together at intervals forinstance by bolts 12. The flanges II and H preferably extend in planesparallel with the bus bars.

The connector or plug-in device for branch circuit connection is in abox-like form and is hinged to the flanges l0 and II. The body of theconnector has a U-shaped metal shell II, the ends of which are closed byinsulating members II and 16. This shell is also preferably lined withan insulating flbre sheet II. The edges it of the shell are turnedinwardly or flanged to reenforce the shell and afford a seat for thedoor is. The body or shell of the box and the door are both hinged on ashaft 20 which extends transversely of the housing and is supported inthe flanges ll and l I. The shell is preferably provided with hingeplates 2| which flt between the flanges II and the door l9 has sideflanges 22 which flt over the edges of the shell l4 when the door isclosed and inside of the outer ends of the hinge plates 2|.

The sides of the sell are provided with recesses 23 adapted to beengaged by studs 24 which project inwardly from the-flanges 22 of thedoor. The sides of the shell being somewhat resilient, the door isfrictionally held to the shell when the door is closed. The door may beprovided with one or more thumb pieces or handles 25 to facilitateopening the door. v

This apparatus is particularly intended for use where flexibleelectrical cables are employed for the branchconnections. Consequentlythe connector box I4 is provided with an anchorage member 30 in the formof a boss connected to the metal shell of the box.

This boss is provided preferably with a suitable knock-out 3| tofacilitate connection of a flexible cable 32 in some suitable manner.Inside the 'box are located clips 33 and 34 adapted to receive thecircuit protective fuses or other devices.

The branch circuit wires are connected to terminals 35 which are mountedin the insulating piece l5 which also carries the fuse clips 33. Theother insulating piece l6 supports terminals 36 and the associated fuseclips 34. To each terminal 36 is secured a suitable contact member 31for enaging a bus bar within the conduit. Each contact preferablyconsists of two spring members adapted to frictionally engage theopposite sides of a bus bar so as to securely hold the parts in theclosed circuit position. The contact jaws 31 are preferably inclinedsomewhat as shown in Fig. 4

Each contact is protected or guarded by a tubular insulating member 38,one end of which is seated in the insulating member l6 and the other endof which is slotted to clear the bus bar. The cover plate 9 of thehousing or conduit is provided with an opening 39 for each contact andits insulating guard. The insulating block 16 is preferably providedwith an extension 49 to overlap the edge of the openings 39.

The connector is also preferably provided with a handle 4| by means ofwhich it may be swung about the hinge 20 to open or close the. circuit.An extension 42 from one side of the connector box may be provided tocoact with one of the flanges on the conduit to facilitate sealing thebox in the closed circuit position.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the electrical parts are allsafely housed so that it is practically impossible for anyone to receivea shock through careless handling. The bus bar conduit is of thesimplest character and as the swinging connector box is hinged to theflanges of the conduit the contacts must necessarily swing in a planeparallel with the bus bars so as to insure effective electricalconnection By the construction set forth it will be. seen that anextraordinary pull on the cable will automatically open the circuit soas to avoid accident.

It will also be seen that it is impossible to get at a circuitprotecting fuse without first opening the circuit.

Even when the branch box is in the open circuit position access to thefuses is prevented by the door i3. It will also be noted that the dooris so associated with the box that it will-be closed automaticallywhenever the connector is moved from the open circuit to the closedcircuit position.

In the form shown in Fig. la the connector box is provided with latchmembers 50 which are hinged at 5| to the opposite sides of the 'shell,which latch members are adapted to automatically engage projections (notshown) on the side Walls of the bus bar conduit. These latch members arepreferably connected by a handle member 52 which projects beyond theouter surface of the box and takes the place of the handle 4i previouslydescribed. A spring 53 serves to hold the handle and the attached latchmembers in the latching position. Stops 54 limit the movement of thelatch members.

In the form shown in Figs. 6 to 10 the bus bar conduit and the mainparts of the connector are similar to those shown in the other figureswith a few distinctions. The lugs or cars 2| are connected to the shelll4 and are hinged on the cross shaft 20. The latch member 50 is similarto that shown in Fig. la and engages the stud 55 to hold the connectorin the closed circuit position. The stud 55 is mounted-in a slot 56 in aflange of the conduit so as to permit some adjustment to bring the studinto the best position to be engaged by the latch member.

The sleeve 38' which surrounds the contact Jews 3'! projects at rightangles to the main part of the connector.

The boss or anchorage 30 for the cable connection is provided with anumber of surfaces with knockouts so that the cable may be connected tothe most convenient side. The fuse clips 33 and 34' are of conventionalform.

In this form the door I9 is hinged at 20 along one edge of theconnectorcasing or shell. It is therefore necessary to close the doorbefore trying to close the circuit, that is, the door will not closeautomatically when the circuit is closed as is the case ,with thepreferred form. This door l9 may have an opening 58 to receive a latch59 carried by the shell for holding the door closed.

Other changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope ofmy invention.

I claim:

1. In a bus bar power distribution system, a conduit for the bus barshaving openings beneath the bus bars, a branch box hinged at one end tothe conduit and having branch connector blades projecting from the otherend and adapted to be thrust through said openings and to engage the busbars in the conduit, said branch box having a fuse compartment with anopening only in theface of the box between the hinged end and theconnector blades for access to the interior when the connector bladesare withdrawn from the bus bars, and a door hinged to said box forclosing said opening in said branch box, the door being held fullyclosed by the box when the blades fully engage the bus bars and theconstruction of the box and door being such that it is necessary'todisengage the blades from the bus bars and open the door of the box inorder to obtain access to the [use compartment.

2. A bus bar conduit formed of a main channel portion and a channelcover portion having flanges, a connector box hinged to the side flangesand having means for connecting a branch cable to the outer face of thebox, contact Jaws projecting from the box for insertion into theopenings to engage the bus bars in the conduit and insulating flangesprojecting from one end of the box for overlapping edges of theopenings.

4. A bus bar conduit connector having a shell with insulating piecesmounted in the shell and forming the ends ofthe connector, fuse clipsmounted in said insulating pieces, plug-in contacts carried by one ofthe insulating pieces, said latter piece having a flange projectingtherefrom to overlap openings in the conduit when the contacts areinserted.

5. A bus bar conduit connector having a metal shell with inturnedflanges'along its edges, insulating blocks secured in the ends of theshell and forming the ends of the connector, hinge lugs projecting fromone end of the shell for attachment to side flanges of a conduit,contact jaws carried by the insulating block in the opposite end of theshell, 9. cable connection at the outer face oi the shell between theends thereof and fuse clips carried by the insulating blocks within theshell.

6. A bus bar conduit connector having a shell with hinge lugs at one endfor mounting the connector on side flanges of a conduit and a door forclosing the connector hinged to said lugs and provided with means forengaging the edges of the shell.

7. A bus bar conduit connector having a shell with inturned side'flanges, insulating blocks secured in the ends of the shell and formingthe ends of the connector, fuse clips secured to the insulating blocks,a cable connector secured to the shell, a door hinged to the shell andengaging the flanges when closed and plug-in contact jaws carried by oneof the insulating blocks for insertion into a bus bar conduit.

8. In a bus bar distribution system, a conduit substantially rectangularin cross section having an opening in one side leading to a bus bar inthe conduit, flanges on the.conduit forming a channel face on the sidehaving the opening, a box-like branch circuit connector of a depthgreater than said channel and fltting between said flanges, hinge meanspassing through said flanges and pivotally supporting one end of theconnector between said flanges, a contact element projecting from theother end of the connector for insertion into the opening toelectrically conriect a bus bar in the conduit to a branch circuit,releasable means for supporting this other end of the connector betweensaid flanges, and a branch circuit conductor support on a face of saidconnector opposite said contact element and outside c

